Happy September

I love September, especially the September of my first forty years, which were spent in New England. Something about September's first hint of the change to autumn still gets me excited, though I now have to call it up from memory as the change is less in the air than in me and the start of school for my kids; the feeling of things coming to a close, while also beginning anew. I see no first yellowing of the skinny aspen down here in south coastal Virginia. There is no cripsing of the air. But I still get excited and slightly trepidacious about buying school supplies, even if I can't decide which color notebook is perfect for which class. That part is up to the kids these days.
After the ease of long hot August, my first burgeoning of new ideas come bursting forth in September. I have more poems titled September and October than any other title or poem topic in a lifetime of writing poems. There's such a mix of nostalgia for things lost and anticipitation for the new in September.
One of my favorite on September pieces I first heard when I was very young is Try to Remember from the Fanstastiks, the longest running off-Broadway show in the history of New York theatre.
I remember being a part of it in my freshman year in high school as well as going to see a production of it in NY. That was one of my favorite theatre experiences of my life. The dark, musty threadbare velvet seats, the tiny room, the actors practically performing in our laps.
Here's Jerry Orbach singing it from a 1962 production. Yes, for those who only know him as the curmudgeon recovering alkie cop on Law and Order or as a Disney singing candlestick from Beauty and the Beast, Jerry Orbach enjoyed a long stardust and pancake makeup covered career in New York theatre. For those of you who may find this a bit on the schmaltzie side, stick it out, please. Tom Jones wrote some great lines you really shouldn't miss.
After all, it's September, and what would September be without a little feeling of nostalgia and anticipation.